Carol Singing is a Brentham tradition and this year our singers are again collecting for the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow branch of the Samaritans.

Samaritans provides confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those with suicidal thoughts. We are raising money to support telephone, face-to-face, email and text-message support as well as outreach and education activities.

Based in Junction Road in South Ealing, Ealing Samaritans has over 120 volunteers helping to answer some of the five million calls for help that Samaritans responds to every year from people going through a difficult time.

In addition to manning the phones and running an email support service, the South Ealing based Samaritans Branch participates in the Rail Industry Suicide prevention programme which aims to reduce suicide on the railways and to support everyone affected by them.

It also runs the Listener Scheme at Wormwood Scrubs prison where a group of prisoners is selected and trained to offer emotional support to other prisoners who are experiencing feelings of distress.

All Samaritans branches are individual charities. Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Samaritans (registered charity no. 1173588) is only able to provide emotional support thanks to the donations and legacies and fundraising by its supporters.